After landing in Mexico from Houston on 25/6, Singaporean freelance photographer Edmund Wong received messages from friends. They shared screenshots of Cristiano Ronaldo's Instagram post, which featured a photo Wong had taken. The image captured Ronaldo smiling with teammates after scoring in Portugal's 5-0 victory over Uzbekistan at the World Cup 2026. The post quickly amassed over 12 million likes but lacked credit for the photographer.
"As a fan, I am happy that Ronaldo liked my photo. But as a media professional, I want to be properly credited," Wong stated.
Wong messaged Ronaldo's account directly. At the same time, he uploaded a behind-the-scenes video of the photo being taken, captioned: "Shall we discuss usage terms and payment?". This video quickly gained over 21 million views, and many fans on Ronaldo's post urged the star to credit the photographer.
Not long after, Ronaldo's team contacted Wong. "They said Ronaldo really liked the photo," Wong recounted.
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Edmund Wong's photo posted on Ronaldo's Instagram page. |
Wong revealed that Ronaldo's team initially intended to use images from the official team photographers. However, a team member suggested Wong's photo, and Ronaldo chose it. Both parties subsequently agreed to add Wong's Instagram account to the post and settled the image usage rights.
This is the biggest achievement in the 30-year-old photographer's career, but also the result of many years of pursuing his passion.
Wong's passion for football began in childhood. He studied photography at Ngee Ann Polytechnic, though his initial attempts were unsuccessful. In 2018, witnessing clubs like Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, and Atletico Madrid compete in Singapore for the International Champions Cup, he saw an opportunity to merge his two interests. By 2022, he committed to professional sports photography, working with various regional tournaments.
This year, he was licensed by FIFA to work at the World Cup. During the match between Portugal and Uzbekistan, Wong stood in the press area in the stands. When Ronaldo scored and ran to celebrate, he aimed his lens at the forward.
"The photo tells a story. It shows the support Ronaldo receives from his teammates and the trust they have in him," Wong said.
Throughout the tournament, Wong traveled between cities, following the match schedule. Each game required a separate press pass application, with FIFA's review process determining approval for later rounds. Consequently, he kept his focus short-term.
"Like the players on the field, I only focus on the next match," Wong said.
By Nhat Minh (Straitimes, CNA)
